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Sincerely,

Fiona Case

Local Section November Meeting
Buckyballs, Tiny Machines and Nanoputians: The Miniature World of Nanotechnology

A talk suitable for a scientifically curious technical and non-technical audience
at the Rutland High School Lecture Hall,
Tuesday November 10th, starting at 5:30 pm.

“Nanotechnology” is an often cited, but misunderstood term describing a wide array of modern applications at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. Jeff Byers will discuss some of the more chemical aspects of nanotechnology, examining the connection between molecular structure, function, and whimsy as they apply to nanotechnology.

ACS Green Mountain Local Section member Jeff Byers received his B.S. from the University of Rochester, and his Ph.D. in 1984 from Dartmouth College. After a postdoctoral research position at the University of Utah, he joined the faculty of Middlebury College (VT) in 1986. He is currently Professor of Chemistry and has previously served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Prof. Byers’ primary teaching responsibilities are in organic chemistry and general chemistry. Other subjects taught include advanced integrated laboratory (inorganic synthesis techniques), instrumental analysis, senior thesis seminar, and freshman seminars (including freshman composition). His research interests are in synthetic organic chemistry, organic free-radicals, organoselenium and heterocyclic chemistry, and he has mentored over 80 Middlebury College undergraduate research students over last 23 years. Jeff and his students are have regularly presented at Regional and National ACS meetings, and they appear as authors on 19 papers from his laboratory.

Prof. Byers’ is also known for his presentation on "Love, Pain and Chocolate" - one of the highlighs of the Chemistry Enthusiasts Program at NERM2008, and for his performance as Professor Snape, the Hogwarts potions teacher, during the 2008 Intercollegiate Quidditch for Muggles World Cup, hosted by Middlebury College. During his half-time show he blew hydrogen into soap bubbles; as they floated about, he ignited them with a candle. In another display, he filled rubber gloves with acetylene and lit the fingertips making a flaming jet into the air. The event was featured in C&E News.

Outside of Chemistry, Jeff enjoys spending time with his wife and children, particularly on family outings to ski or hike in the Vermont woods, and is an avid amateur pianist.

Green Mountain Local Section ACS December Meeting

“Holiday Party”

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Swift House Inn in Middlebury

Details: We will be again hosting our annual Holiday Party at the Swift House Inn on 25 Stewart Lane in Middlebury. Please join us from 6 to 9 p.m. for the festivities with free hors d’oeuvres, one free drink, and a cash bar thereafter. All members are cordially invited to attend with one guest. This event is a wonderful opportunity to network and socialize with other local section members.

RSVP: If you are interested in attending, please RSVP no later than December 2 to Beth Medeiros at (802)770-7238 or by e-mail at greenmntacs@yahoo.com.

Directions:

From Rutland: Take Route 7-North to Middlebury. Proceed through town. At the end of town, you will come to a traffic light with a Mobil gas station on your left. Turn right at the light onto Stewart Lane. Once on Stewart Lane, park in the lot across from the main house.

From Burlington: Take Route 7-South to Middlebury. Just before you enter Middlebury, there is a traffic light with a Mobil gas station on your right. Turn left at the light onto Stewart Lane. Once on Stewart Lane, park in the lot across from the main house.

We look forward to celebrating the holidays with you!

Middlebury Marble Quarry Open House 2009

On Saturday October 17th Local Section members had the opportunity to explore some real "hands-on" inorganic chemistry at the OMYA quarry open house in Middlebury

Fiona Case and Benjamin in the quarry Martin Case and Benjamin playing with the trucks

Photos from the 2008 event are HERE

Local Section October Meeting

Greening the Chemistry Curriculum

Was held on Tuesday October 13th
at Norwich University

Green chemistry in the US can trace its major roots back to the early 1990s with the passage of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 and the subsequent formal focus on green chemistry by the EPA in 1991. Since this time research and development in green chemistry/technology has gained considerable momentum.

Many companies and academic research faculty now recognize the environmental and economic benefits that environmentally benign chemistry has to offer. If we are to broaden the base of those that view chemistry with a "green tint," then green chemistry must be infused into conventional chemistry courses that are offered in the traditional college chemistry curriculum. It should be "second nature" for our students of today and the chemists of tomorrow, to view all chemistry with pollution prevention in mind. Ways in which we have infused green chemistry into the curriculum will be addressed. This discussion will include the green chemistry web based modules that have been developed with the aid of a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation grant, and the book "Real-World Cases in Green Chemistry" funded by the ACS/EPA. In addition we will focus on the ACS/EPA Green Chemistry Educational Materials Development Project.

Presented by Dr. Michael Cann, Univeristy of Scranton.

Michael Cann was born and raised in the Saratoga region of upstate NY and attended Marist College where he earned his BA in chemistry in 1969. Mike received his MA and PhD in organic chemistry from SUNY Stony Brook in 1972 and 1973, he was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Utah (1973-74), and a lecturer at the University of Colorado-Denver (1974-75). Since 1975 he has been a faculty member at the University of Scranton. He is also the co-director of the environmental science program and the director of medical technology. His areas of interest encompass nitrenium ions, nitrogen heterocycles and green chemistry. His interests in green chemistry consist of microwave assisted organic reactions, room temperature ionic liquids, and green chemistry education. He has taught a number of courses including general chemistry, organic chemistry, environmental chemistry, chemical literature and writing, chemistry seminar, topics in environmental science, internship in environmental science and graduate courses in mechanistic and structural organic chemistry.

Cancer Research Seminars in Plattsburgh

Northern New York ACS Local Section member Vinay Likhite is organizing a series of seminars and discussions on cancer research at the Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, New York. The group meets every third Wednesday of the month from 6:00pm to 7:00pm to discuss the fascinating story of how the sciences of chemistry, biochemistry, biology are being used to diagnose, treat, and even now prevent cancer. Coffee will be available and the group will adjorn to a local restautant for dinner after the meeting. We are warmly invited to participate.

ACS Project SEED Students at UVM

Sierra Costanza and Blake Ingram, seniors at South Burlington and Burlington High Schools, respectively, undertook research projects in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Vermont this summer as ACS Project SEED Students, sponsored in part by the Green Mountain Local Section. Sierra worked under the direction of Prof. Rory Waterman investigating new, efficient ways to form chemical bonds to the element phosphorus, and Blake worked with Prof. William Geiger investigating electro-catalysis. Amsal Karic, a Project SEED student from 2008, returned to Waterman’s laboratory for a second summer of research before beginning studies at the University of Rochester this fall.

We got good feed back from all of them about the summer. They enjoyed the experience. Blake and Sierra are in the process of applying to colleges and looking forward to coming back as Summer II students next year.

Beyond the paid summer internship, the Project SEED program also encourages students through competitive college scholarships for former participants, one of which was won by UVM/Green Mountain LS Project SEED alumna Stephanie Chan of South Burlington earlier this year.

Chemistry Olympiad Contest for High School Students
Vermont Coordinator Needed!

The U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad and the International Chemistry Olympiad are multi-tiered competitions that bring together the world’s most talented high school students to test their knowledge and skills in chemistry. Nations around the world conduct examinations to nominate the most high-performing students for the International Chemistry Olympiad. But it all starts at the local level. Approximately 10,000 U.S. students between the ages of 13 and 18 enter local Chemistry Olympiad competitions each March vying for a chance to compete in the National or International events. For a number of years now High School students in Vermont have not had the oppportunity to participate in a local contest because the ACS Green Mountain Local Section has not had a coordinator. Although we are a small local section, I wonder if there is someone out there who might be willing to take on this task? This is a moderately demanding, but very rewarding, job - requiring interaction with local high schools and keeping to strict deadlines to ensure that our students are correctly entered in the contest. but the ACS in Washington DC provides a lot of support.There is more information here, and we can also contact coordinators in neiboring states for advice.

Please let Fiona Case know if you might be interested in this position.

You might be interested in taking a look at this years local exam. I've posted it here: WPCP_012582.pdf. I thought it was quite challenging and brought back memories of my undergraduate years!

Local Section September Meeting Report

The serious and delirious use of chemistry in the movies

Thursday September 17th
St. Michaels College

This presentation began with illustrations of brief mentions of chemistry in films where you might not expect it like The Graduate; It's a Wonderful Life; 1776; and Bells on Their Toes. Movies which feature science were then contrasted between: then (the past) and now (the present); the real and the impossible; drama and comedy; and similar scenes in multiple movies. Featured clips included such films as Apollo 13; Dante's Peak; Chain Reaction; It Happens Every Spring; The Man in the White Suit; and Smoke. Several exiciting live chemical demonstrations relative to the movie scenes were interspersed with the videos.

John Fortman is Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Wright State University where he retired in 2001 after 36 years of teaching freshman and inorganic chemistry. In 1998 he was appointed the Robert J. Kegerreis Distinguished Professor of Teaching and won seven different teaching awards over the years at Wright State. In 1998 he received the CMA Catalyst Award for Outstanding Teaching of College Chemistry.

Dr. Fortman received his B.S. from the University of Dayton in 1961 and his Ph.D. in physical inorganic chemistry from the University of Notre Dame in 1965. He has published over 50 papers in chemical education in addition to his research publications. With Rubin Battino he has produced a seven DVD set which contains ten hours of chemical demonstrations for use at middle school through college levels plus a live show and blooper outtakes. For over 30 years he has done chem demo outreach shows for middle and high school students in the Dayton area and continues to inspire and fascinate over 8000 students each year with at least 17 shows. He has held workshops on teaching and demonstrations around the country. He has designed alternative courses for general chemistry, elementary chemistry and chemistry for elementary education majors. His course for non-science students was cited as a model in the 1990 AAAS report on "The Liberal Art of Science: Agenda for Action". The alternative general chemistry course was developed while he was a member of the General Chemistry Task Force of the ACS Division of Chemical Education and starts with organic and biochemistry moving through materials and finishing with energy while empathizing applications and bringing in only those principles that are needed as they are necessary. The course has been characterized as being taught inside-out, upside-down, and backwards.

John Fortman's interests in addition to demonstrations and course content and organization include the use of analogies and videotaped material. John has been an ACS member since 1962 and was Councilor for the Dayton Local Section from 1996 to 2004. Since he became an ACS Tour Speaker in 1991 he has given over 310 section talks, visiting 163 of the 190 different local sections while doing 65 tours including all 29 different tours at least once. He has presented in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

In 2007 he received the Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach

ACS Green Mountain Local Section 2009 Outstanding Senior Award in Chemistry

On May 23rd Fiona and Martin Case presented The 2009 ACS Green Mountain Local Section Outstanding Senior Award in Chemistry at Middlebury College. The award was presented to Michelle Personick whose academic and research achievements while at Middlebury have indeed been outstanding! Michelle plans to continue her chemistry studies at graduate school. This was the first "outstandind senior award" presented by the Green Mountain Local Section, we hope to expand the program in 2010 and present awards at other chemistry degree awarding institutions in the state.

Fiona presents a certificate and book token to Michelle Personick during the Middlebury College awards ceremony. Roger Sandwick (Head of Department) and Sunhee Choi, (Michelle's research advisor) join in the applause.

Message from the Green Mountain Local Section Government Affairs Committee:

The week of April 20, our Government Affairs Committee (Sarah Locknar, Ralph Stuart and Deb Gaynor) met with Kelly Lucci, Community Liason specializing in Energy from Senator Sanders' office, and Tricia Coates, State director for Representative Welch. We spoke with them about the concept of Green Chemistry and how it is essentially a paradigm shift in the way all chemical disciplines are practiced. We also discussed HR 2850. This Green Chemistry bill was co-sponsored by Peter Welch and passed the House in fall of 2007. It is currently stuck in the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and has been there for over a year. Kelly expressed interest in this bill and said she would bring it to the attention of Senator Sanders as a co-sponsoring possibility. We also discussed the importance of fully funding Climate-Change studies and the associated infrastructure. Now that the Administration admits that Climate-change exists, we need to make sure that the satellites that collect data are properly maintained and replaced as necessary. This will also enable us to monitor the various strategies that are developed to counteract Global Climate-Change.

Since Peter Welch is already a champion of Green Chemistry, we decided to take the opportunity to discuss a topic that ACS has no official stance on, but has a big impact on chemistry and other small businesses in VT. That is reauthorization of the SBIR program. Many of you know that SBIR is short for "Small Business Innovation Research" and it is a mandatory 2.5% of 11 federal agencies' grant budgets (including NIH, NSF, Army, Navy, etc.) to be set aside SPECIFICALLY for small-business grant applications. This program is currently funded through a continuing resolution. Full reauthorization is expected some time this year. The definition of a "small business" for an SBIR application is less than 500 employees (this describes all but about 40 VT employers) and minority (or no) venture capital (VC) ownership or control. It turns out that many congress members are rethinking the VC restrictions. As a small state with virtually no VC presence, that would leave VT companies at a significant disadvantage. We were delighted to find that Rep. Welch has already indicated his support of maintaining the current definition of a "small business" for the reauthorized bill and keeping VC-based companies out of the SBIR grant process. The SBIR programs have been a boon to Vermont start-up companies. According to the VT Technology Council, in 2007 alone there were $4.7 million in grants from 8 different agencies awarded to 16 small businesses around the state. It's small potatoes to the government, but a huge boost to the businesses that win the grants.

Overall, the meetings went quite well. We're really starting to establish a relationship with Tricia from Peter Welch's office. We've met with her about 3 times now. It was also great to meet face-to-face with someone on Senator Sanders' staff. We've only been able to schedule one phone meeting with his office over the last 3 years (and not for lack of trying).

More information about the Green Mountain Local Section Government Affairs Commitee (GAC)

2009 Vermont Math and Science Fair

The 2008 Vermont Math and Science Fair as held at Norwich University on April 5th. Several ACS Green Mountain LS members served as judges for the event. Fiona, Martin and Willem were judges for the ACS Green Mountain Local Section awards for chemistry projects.

First Place ($100 award) - Brian Ribbans
Mount Saint Joseph Academy (12th Grade), teacher Timothy J. McCue

Abstract: Biodiesel made from waste vegetable oil can be a viable alternative to petroleumbased
fuel. It is possible that biodiesel will be one of the many solutions for sustainable alternative fuels. This experiment examines the results of varying the conditions during the transesterification process used to make biodiesel from waste vegetable oil. Transesterification is the process of breaking down esters, fat molecules, using alcohol and a catalyst producing a refined ester,biodiesel, and glycerin as a by-product. For this experiment varying amounts of methanol, the alcohol, sodium hydroxide, the catalyst, and temperature will test the results of the process. To produce high quality biodiesel the results of the transesterification process requires additional processing to remove impurities, mainly glycerin, suspended in the oil. Mixing water with the oil does this. The glycerin and impurities will dissolve in the water and separate from the oil. A dry washing method is also possible. Magnesol is used by adding it in with the processed oil to absorb the impurities and filtering the magnesol with the impurities out. The completed oil is also tested for completion, the absence of impurities and pH. Altering the process will have dramatic affect on the result of the reaction and ultimately the quality of the biodiesel. The affects of varying the amount of lye, methanol and heat in the reaction will be apparent by the outcome of the biodiesel with a pH that is too high, an incomplete reaction and/or biodiesel with too many impurities. After testing, it was concluded that not using enough methanol, using too much or too little catalyst, and using a temperature that is too high or too low will produce poor quality and unusable biodiesel that is unable to pass one or more of the qualifying tests.

Joint Second Place ($50 award) - Meghan Lavoie,
Mater Christi School, teacher Michelle Donlon

Abstract: The purpose of the science fair project is to determine which fruit contains the highest amount of protein-digesting enzymes, bromelain and papain. These enzymes, classified as proteolytic, conduct the process of proteolysis in which protein catabolism occurs by hydrolysis of the peptide bonds that link amino acids together in
the polypeptide chain. Alternatively stated, they break protein down using a chemical reaction to split a specific bond that is crucial in linking acids together to create a protein-based chain that is a foundation for matter. After research, it was discovered this process is easily visible in gelatin because if these certain enzymes are incorporated in it, they will prevent it from solidifying. Therefore, the setting of gelatin was made the sole determiner of the enzyme levels in eight different fruits. A hypothesis was made based on prior research stating that a high concentration of
bromelain existed throughout all areas of a pineapple: If various types of fruit are tested in gelatin, then pineapple will cause the least amount to solidify; it contains the most enzymes. To begin the experimenting procedure, all materials were gathered and fruits were sliced and weighed out to 56 grams each. Next, the gelatin mixture was prepared according to the instructions on the box, a half cup of liquid was poured into each bowl, and the plain gelatin was refrigerated for an hour before the 56 grams of fruit were stirred into their respective bowls. They were refrigerated for 16 additional hours and observations were taken every four. After the entire procedure was completed twice and results were averaged, it was concluded the hypothesis was correct; pineapple contains the highest amount of protein-digesting enzymes as demonstrated by the least amount of gelatin solidifying, 25 percent, when pineapple
(and its abundant content of proteolytic enzymes) were incorporated.

Joint Second Place ($50 award) - Alex Drost

Windsor High School (10th Grade), Teacher Jennifer Townsend

Abstract:
The purpose of this experiment was to explore the relationship between various salt concentrations and conductivity, and how conductivity effects the amount of hydrogen and oxygen produced by electrolysis. It was thought that the solutions with higher salt concentrations will have a greater conductivity, allowing them to produce a greater volume of gas during electrolysis. Electrolysis is the process of breaking water down into hydrogen and oxygen gas.
This is achieved by the flow of electricity through water. Oxygen forms on the electrode carrying the positive charge because it is the anion in the compound H2O. Hydrogen gas will form on the negative electrode because it is the cation in the compound. Hydrogen and oxygen gas were collected by using a simple electrolysis apparatus. Two electrodes were attached to the positive and negative battery terminals and into a beaker of salt and water solution. The apparatus was run for a set period of time and the gas that was collected in each solution was measured and recorded by volume. The results strongly supported the hypothesis. As the conductivity of the solution increased, more electrons were able to pass through the solution, allowing more water to be split into hydrogen and oxygen gasses.

Our section wins a hospitality award

The Green Mountain Local Section received an award recognizing our hospitality to members of the ACS speaker service who visit our local section. Willem Leenstra received the award for the section during the ACS Spring 2008 National Meeting in New Orleans.

Pictures from our 2007 National Chemistry Week event are here

Outreach: Chemistry at the VT Achievement Center (VAC)

Michele Johnson Reports: I recently (July 13) visited the VT Achievement Center (VAC) to perform chemistry demonstrations for the pre-K classroom (which my son Liam is in). We hope to get these kids interested in science at a young age. We had fun with polymers: I showed them a disappearing water trick (with sodium polyacrylate, the absorbent polymer used in diapers) and we all made "super stretchy slime" (in Omya blue no less) that they were each able to take home. When I left, I'm sure that many of the kids thought that "chemistry is
cool"!

The GMLS received a Local Section Innovative Project Grant to fund a science cart for the early education department at the VT Achievement Center (VAC)

Results from the 2007 Math and Science Fair

Results from the 2008 Math and Science Fair

Report from 2006 - photos and descriptions of all our 2006 activities

Chemistry on local TV: download a movie file with Jeff Beyers recent WCAX appearance talking about the chemistry of chocolate!

Results of our Earth Day Chemistry Haiku Contest are here

Be a Voice for Chemistry - join our Government Affairs Committee

Report from 2005 - photos and descriptions of all our 2005 activities

Report from 2006 - photos and descriptions of all our 2006 activities

Officers 2009

Chair..................................... Fiona Case (Fiona's Website)
Chair Elect.....................................................................Open
Secretary................................................Jody Chamberlain
Treasurer...................................................... Beth Medeiros
Councilor..................... Willem Leenstra (Willem's Website)
Alternate Councilor.............. Martin Case (Martin's Website)

Committee Chairs

Awards....................................................................... Michele Johnson
PR/Web Master................................................................... Fiona Case
Government Affairs Committee.......................................Sarah Locknar
Newsletter Editor........................................................ Willem Leenstra

Web page last updated September 30th, 2009

The views expresssed in these pages are strictly those of the Green Mountain Local Section. The contents have not been reviewed or approved by the American Chemical Society. The Green Mountain Local Section assumes all responsibility and liability for the content of its pages.

If you need more information or would like to submit information, E-mail our Local Section WebMaster